Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a psychological condition which produces extreme emotional pain, adverse effects on the lifestyle of sufferers, and usually a significant negative impact on relationships with others.

BPD is called a 'personality disorder' because it involves a lasting pattern of thinking, feeling, and behaving rather, than a few specific psychological symptoms.

People with BPD frequently experience strong and overwhelming emotions which they have difficulty controlling. Strong feelings of anxiety, depression, or anger may be triggered by relatively minor life difficulties. Many people with BPD also experience intense feelings of loneliness or emptiness.

Unfortunately BPD is a condition that is frequently misunderstood by family and friends of the BPD sufferer and at times, even by some mental health professionals. This can in turn increase a person's sense of isolation.

Many people with BPD experience volatile or unstable intimate relationships. Many fear rejection from those close to them and may at times act in extreme ways in response to this fear of rejection or abandonment.

While historically BPD has been seen as a condition which is extremely difficult to treat, over recent years there has been growing evidence that some specific psychology therapies such as Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Schema Therapy can be very effective treatments for many people with BPD. However, unlike psychological therapy for many other psychological conditions, psychological therapy for BPD usually requires fairly intensive therapy for well in excess of 12 months.

This site provides only general information about Borderline Personality Disorder and should not be used for diagnosis or treatment advice. We recommend that you consult a mental health specialist such as a Clinical Psychologist or Psychiatrist for advice about your situation. For urgent assistance contact your local mental health service or Lifeline 13 11 14. In case of a medical emergency dial 000 in Australia. This is an Australian site for Australian audiences.